Charlotte messenger. [volume] (Charlotte, Mecklenburg Co., N.C.) 1882-18??, 1887-02-26

bill. lOn, tney were going to rob Dick.
Nobody but reckless Keno Dick would
have left such haul in the lonely littls
cabin. and Bill had shaken his head
doubtfully when Dick laughed and said
that it was all right now. He shook It
again as he struggled on. and suddenly
discovered that he had reached the cabin
by nearly dropping the shotgun into tpe
gulch hard by its door. Buster Bill had
left his breath far back on the trail, bnt
there was no time for it, and he dug Un-
der the rear of the cabin with velocity
only acquired by constant practice In.
eluding the Ayenger. a.i 81
A providence unusual in the case of
small boys enabled him to drag the gun,
barrel foremost, successfully after him.
He felt Of the -four bag. The dust was
there ON the side next the wall, where o
slight cut would get it out. The sound
of feet outside and few low-spoken
words, and the door gave wayl
2 Every one, on entering dark room,
knows the momentary feeling ofiirfeso-
luton; and it was while the men were
fumbling for their matches and whisper
ing in an awe-struck way, that they
heard the low whimpering of a grizzly
cub. Yes, it was unmistakable; and as
their knees began to knock together, the
grizzly mother answered as loving
mother should. But her slumber- song
awakened no responsive chord in Dicks
lone cabin, and when the mother rubbed
against leg, and hand reached outand
felt the hairy body, there was yell that
Jared the -four in the sack, and the trail
smoked with the flying footsteps of the
departing braves.
And Buster Bill sat in the middle OF
the cabin, engulfed in Dicks old bear
I skin, and while his yellow top-knot
odnpright from fear, helaughdd. and
growled, and whispered, and huggedhis
gnn. :,
''By George, hain't sneaked round
the old BEARS den on Bald Peak feI
nrthin'' said Buster Bill.
i
The next morning. when Keno Dick
rods over the summit, twelve hours car
lier than he was expected, ho looked
down on the camp and beheld a scene Of
surprising activity. 1t was one hour after
sunrise VIII IL he arrived in, front of the
Gold Run Hotel, and listened without a
word to the stupendous news. A couple
OF Mexicans had robbed Mike Dorseys
cabin and vamoosed Dicks own cabin
had been broken open, but everything
was IN order. except that the bear
skin lay ina heap on the floor, Buster
Bill was missing, and his mother was in
Mysteries; if he listtn med, he couli hear
her crying on the hill.
Keno Dick listeDed with the immova
BILE face that bad characterized him at
the table, and then turned the mustangs
head toward his cabin. lie was accom-
panied by sympathizing delegation,
who. knowing his love for the Buster,
suggested that he drop in and console
the mother. He refused curtly as her
''och homes foated down to the trail,
and the procession took up its march.
presumably to show him, the tousled
bear skin.
But Dick made no comments, for a
dull suspicion forced itself upon him and
would not be put aside. OF course moth
ing had been touched; he could see that
for himself. Ct course not, but he
would look anyway, and make sure that
the dust was safe. And as he turned the
sack over, the -four siftedi through the
slit cut In the side next the wall2
Tten the dark suspicion that he had
put down as shameful danced around
him, and cried OUT. II knew It'll !. told
You sol Nobody bat Busters Bill knew
Where YOU kept your dust, and Buster
Bi is missing!"
The boys glared disgust at Keno Dick
for his surly response to their sympathy;
but at last they went away, and he
walked the space in front of the cabin
like a tiger. Keno Dick had prospected
in strange place this time. for he had
spent the last two days in Georgetown,
where Miss Bessie Worth lived; and all
the way up the summit coming
home he had calculated how much
dust that bag contained and how
much it would take TO build an adj
dition to the cabin and to furnish it
in the style beiitting another and an an
gclic occupant.
But the bag was gone now, and Buster
Bill was gone with it. His hands
clenched in his pockets and one of them
touched something hard. He drew it
out. 1t was the ohispa he had got for
Bill over in Georgetown. lie had been
intending to tell him he found It on the
summit, for Bill was sharp and it was not
best for him to know about the George
town claim vet. He tossed it into the
gtleh with an oath. BIT, after all, it was a
chispa, and the foundation Of new bag
mast be laid soon. He climbed down
after it with feverish haste. A jagged
lluartz rock cut his hand; he was glad,
and he struck it against the rock. He
wouldn't have minded the loss OF the
dust so much, but Bessie. and Bill!
Yes, it was sorrow that hlled his eyes and
made him stumble. oh, little Bill, how
could you do i'll Another stumble! Take
care. Dick; you had better wipe your
eyes, if you want to find that chispa.
What Hill Little Bill, lying here /.
Look upl Look up! Oh, little custer
Eill. forgive mey'
The Euster opened his eyes and smiled.
h, ELL, see it all now. They scared
you into telling them where it was, and
then chucked You into the gulchw
The Buster sat up straight. Visions Of
Wild Bill the great and noble, ilpated
fhfongh. his brain His honor was at
stake. What cared he for broken arm
q = =. .1l.1 n..A ..Ls... A. -